Every region in the world, except the Americas, is experiencing an increase in the number of cases of measles, a vaccine-preventable disease that can kill or disable children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

The WHO's Kate O'Brien put the blame on weak health systems and misinformation about vaccines and called on social media outlets and communities to make sure information about preventing the highly contagious disease was accurate.

"We are backsliding, we are on the wrong track," O'Brien, director of WHO's department of immunisation, vaccines and biologicals, told a news briefing.

"We have a worrying trend that all regions are experiencing an increase in measles except for the region of the Americas, which has seen a small decline."

Nearly three times as many cases were reported from January to July this year than in the same period in 2018, the WHO said.

Nearly 365,000 cases have been reported globally this year, the highest figure since 2006, it said, noting that they represent only a fraction of the 6.7 million suspected cases. Measles caused an estimated 109,000 deaths in 2017, its most recent figures show.

The biggest outbreaks are raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo (155,460 cases), Madagascar (127,454) and Ukraine (54,246), it said.

Europe has also lost ground, with four countries stripped of their "measles-free" status in 2018 - Albania, Czech Republic, Greece and Britain, it said.

The WHO figures did not include a specific breakdown of numbers for the Americas region.

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The United States has recorded 1,215 measles cases across 30 states in its worst outbreak since 1992, federal health officials said on Monday. 
Health experts say the virus has spread among school-age children whose parents declined to give them the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, which confers immunity to the disease.

Trust in vaccines - among the world's most effective and widely used medical products - is highest in poorer countries but weaker in wealthier ones where scepticism has allowed outbreaks of diseases such as measles to persist, a global study found in June.

"We do see misinformation as an increasing threat," O'Brien said.&nbsp;

"We are calling on social media providers, communities, leaders, people who speak out, to be sure you are communicating accurate, valid, scientifically credible information."

In the 53 countries of Europe, 90,000 measles cases were recorded in the first half of this year, already more than that for all of 2018, said Siddhartha Datta, from the WHO's regional office for Europe.

Ukraine, which accounts for more than half of the cases, is implementing a robust response, he said.&nbsp;

"The ministry of health is doing targeted immunisation campaigns ... They are also doing school-based vaccination, high-risk vaccination of military recruits and health care workers."

Every region in the world, except the Americas, is experiencing an increase in the number of cases of measles, a vaccine-preventable disease that can kill or disable children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

Every region in the world, except the Americas, is experiencing an increase in the number of cases of measles, a vaccine-preventable disease that can kill or disable children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. The WHO's Kate O'Brien put the blame on weak health systems and misinformation about vaccines and called on social media outlets and communities to make sure information about preventing the highly contagious disease was accurate. "We are backsliding, we are on the wrong track," O'Brien, director of WHO's department of immunisation, vaccines and biologicals, told a news briefing. "We have a worrying trend that all regions are experiencing an increase in measles except for the region of the Americas, which has seen a small decline." Nearly three times as many cases were reported from January to July this year than in the same period in 2018, the WHO said. Nearly 365,000 cases have been reported globally this year, the highest figure since 2006, it said, noting that they represent only a fraction of the 6.7 million suspected cases. Measles caused an estimated 109,000 deaths in 2017, its most recent figures show. The biggest outbreaks are raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo (155,460 cases), Madagascar (127,454) and Ukraine (54,246), it said. Europe has also lost ground, with four countries stripped of their "measles-free" status in 2018 - Albania, Czech Republic, Greece and Britain, it said. The WHO figures did not include a specific breakdown of numbers for the Americas region. The United States has recorded 1,215 measles cases across 30 states in its worst outbreak since 1992, federal health officials said on Monday. Health experts say the virus has spread among school-age children whose parents declined to give them the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, which confers immunity to the disease. Trust in vaccines - among the world's most effective and widely used medical products - is highest in poorer countries but weaker in wealthier ones where scepticism has allowed outbreaks of diseases such as measles to persist, a global study found in June. "We do see misinformation as an increasing threat," O'Brien said. "We are calling on social media providers, communities, leaders, people who speak out, to be sure you are communicating accurate, valid, scientifically credible information." In the 53 countries of Europe, 90,000 measles cases were recorded in the first half of this year, already more than that for all of 2018, said Siddhartha Datta, from the WHO's regional office for Europe. Ukraine, which accounts for more than half of the cases, is implementing a robust response, he said. "The ministry of health is doing targeted immunisation campaigns ... They are also doing school-based vaccination, high-risk vaccination of military recruits and health care workers."

Global measles cases three times higher than last year: WHO

The world is backsliding in the fight against measles, which can disable or kill, especially children, with a record number of cases recorded up to August only since 2006 and nearly three times as many cases than in July 2018 at that time, the World Health Organization (WHO)

Measles cases nearly tripled globally during the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2018, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-health-organization-says-e-cigarettes-undoubtedly-harmful-238779">World Health Organization said Tuesday</a>, amid growing concern over public resistance to the vaccine.

So far this year, 364,808 measles cases were reported around the world, compared to 129,239 cases during the first seven months a year earlier.&nbsp;

These numbers are "the highest (registered) since 2006," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva.

The numbers are especially worrying since only about one in 10 actual measles cases are believed to be reported worldwide, according to WHO.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-health-organisation-says-investigators-conclude-ebola-victim-did-not-enter-rwanda-237160">Measles, which is highly contagious</a>, can be entirely prevented through a two-dose vaccine, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has in recent months sounded the alarm overslipping vaccination rates.&nbsp;

Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Ukraine registered the highest number of cases, WHO said.

In Madagascar, which registered around 127,500 cases during the first half of this year alone, numbers have meanwhile dropped considerably in recent months following an emergency national vaccination campaign, the UN health agency stressed.

Measles cases have soared worldwide, with the African region seeing a 900 per cent jump in cases year-on-year, while cases rose 230 per cent in the western Pacific.

Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sudan, South Sudan and Thailand have all seen major outbreaks of the disease.

The United States has meanwhile registered 1,164 cases so far this year, compared to 372 for all of 2018 and the highest number on record in a quarter-century.

And in the European region, nearly 90,000 cases have been registered this year, well above the 84,462 cases registered last year.

Measles, an airborne infection causing fever, coughing and rashes that can be deadly in rare cases had been officially eliminated in many countries with advanced healthcare systems.

But the so-called anti-vax movement, driven by fraudulent claims linking the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella, and risk of autism in children has gained traction.

WHO pointed out that the reasons for people not being vaccinated vary significantly between communities and countries, with a lack of access to quality healthcare or vaccination services hindering some from getting the jabs, while others are led astray by "misinformation about vaccines, or low awareness about the need to vaccinate."

The measles vaccine is a "safe and highly effective vaccine", WHO stressed in a statement, urging "everyone to ensure their measles vaccinations are up to date."

Measles cases nearly tripled globally during the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2018, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, amid growing concern over public resistance to the vaccine.

Measles cases nearly tripled globally during the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2018, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, amid growing concern over public resistance to the vaccine. So far this year, 364,808 measles cases were reported around the world, compared to 129,239 cases during the first seven months a year earlier. These numbers are "the highest (registered) since 2006," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva. The numbers are especially worrying since only about one in 10 actual measles cases are believed to be reported worldwide, according to WHO. Measles, which is highly contagious, can be entirely prevented through a two-dose vaccine, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has in recent months sounded the alarm overslipping vaccination rates. Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and Ukraine registered the highest number of cases, WHO said. In Madagascar, which registered around 127,500 cases during the first half of this year alone, numbers have meanwhile dropped considerably in recent months following an emergency national vaccination campaign, the UN health agency stressed. Measles cases have soared worldwide, with the African region seeing a 900 per cent jump in cases year-on-year, while cases rose 230 per cent in the western Pacific. Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sudan, South Sudan and Thailand have all seen major outbreaks of the disease. The United States has meanwhile registered 1,164 cases so far this year, compared to 372 for all of 2018 and the highest number on record in a quarter-century. And in the European region, nearly 90,000 cases have been registered this year, well above the 84,462 cases registered last year. Measles, an airborne infection causing fever, coughing and rashes that can be deadly in rare cases had been officially eliminated in many countries with advanced healthcare systems. But the so-called anti-vax movement, driven by fraudulent claims linking the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella, and risk of autism in children has gained traction. WHO pointed out that the reasons for people not being vaccinated vary significantly between communities and countries, with a lack of access to quality healthcare or vaccination services hindering some from getting the jabs, while others are led astray by "misinformation about vaccines, or low awareness about the need to vaccinate." The measles vaccine is a "safe and highly effective vaccine", WHO stressed in a statement, urging "everyone to ensure their measles vaccinations are up to date."

Global measles cases triple year-on-year: World Health Organization

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Global measles cases three times higher than last year: WHO

Global measles cases three times higher than last year: WHO

Global measles cases triple year-on-year: World Health Organization